Mail-order leather?

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

Hey all,

Cutting to the point, where do you buy your leather online? (Everyone loves a good price, but I’m looking more at quality of product and customer service…)

I just got 4 dbl shoulders through Tandy’s website in the hopes that I might get better quality directly from the warehouse than in-store (just got a couple sides that had significant flaws that weren’t obvious by looking at them). Unfortunately, it seems that they sent us the smallest and worst pieces that they had. I would have passed on all 4 in the store. 

So where do you like to buy, and just as importantly, where do you avoid?

Thanks, and may you never burn your bacon,

AZR

[Hags]

Goliger. Talk to Cheryl. 

http://www.goligerleather.us/index.htm

 

[JDFred]

Been pretty happy with panhandle leather.

[Hildebrand]

I have had good luck with Montana Leather in Billings, MT. Get on their email list, they have specials frequently on different types of leather. 
 

Todd

[tsunkasapa]

Plus one on Montana Leather. Part of that same business family is Oregon Leather. And my other go to is Mavrick Leather in Bend, Oregon. I have bought from Maker's Leather from Texas, but only at shows. That being said, I was happy with what I got from them

[JLSleather]

23 hours ago, Hags said:

Goliger. Talk to Cheryl. 

http://www.goligerleather.us/index.htm

 

This.  And this again.

And, I've done pretty well working with Matt at Wickett-Craig.  Mostly. 

But if you like the temper of H.O., then yeah- call Cheryl.

BTW - I USED TO order leather from THe Leather Factory, before is was "Tandy Leather Factory", and never got a bad piece.  Don't know if Tandy owned it back then and just didn't use the Tandy name, or if they acquired it later.  But somewhere in there, I had to ONLY buy their leather if I SAW it first.  The one up this way has a new manager now - MAN that guy was a jerk - so maybe it's better now?

[Digit]

On 2/17/2026 at 1:14 AM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

I would have passed on all 4 in the store

That's probably why they sell it online; because they have been passed on by people in the store. Online orders are harder for a customer to reject.

I only buy in Europe and mostly chrome-tan at that, so my sources wouldn't be helpful. I usually try a first (small) order and I try to order samples too if they have them. So far I've mostly bought large cuts (sides), so there's usually sufficient good quality surface to make what I want. 

[kgg]

On 2/17/2026 at 12:14 AM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

So where do you like to buy, and just as importantly, where do you avoid?

Not that this is going to be overly helpful as I'm in Canada but I have only once tried to buy leather online. My experience may differ from others but I opened the package up, examined it and promptly return it. Unless you are dealing with a very reputable company I figure you are going to get a much poorer grade of leather, probably someone's returned piece. I now only buy leather that I can eye, touch, feel and compare pieces. Yes it is slightly more costly per piece with travel (3 -4 hour drive) but at least I get decent quality. 

kgg